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Frazzled Mommas and the One Who is Good

I remember a frazzled mother complimenting me on my mothering one day at ballet. Another mom quickly saw the comparison game going on and spoke up. She said, “Oh it’s just because she’s out in public. She’s not always like that”.

Now, this lady did not know me. But she apparently had some insight into people. Her interjection into the conversation convicted me. I HAD indeed upped my mothering since entering a public domain. I was performing so naturally I hadn’t even noticed. We humans really have this problem of wanting for people to think we are good. BUT there is One who sees our hearts and knows every sin we’ve ever committed and the sin we swear we’d never do. We even categorize our sin and tell our special brands, our unique weaknesses…like we are only capable of certain ones. These are just ways we defend ourselves.

There is only ONE defense and His name is Jesus: the real deal, the King of Kings, born a baby. We can dress our dirt up and hang danglies on it, act like it’s not there, use religion to help us pretend we are okay-look for nods and compliments— but there’s that baby, who came close, born in a manger. And why? Not for our goodness, but precisely for our desperately wicked hearts- we are more needy than we comprehend.

And that baby, who came close, let a young momma rock Him, grew up on dusty roads, and then proclaimed the hated message, “You can’t create goodness apart from me… it requires bending the knee with all the justifications, the labels, the excuses, the sin, the pain and taking those honestly to the cross you will watch me bleed from. I’m the only Good one who can pay the price. The sacrifice has to be perfect and you can never be that, so I have come to do it for you-to give you my very self”.

No fairy dust there at the cross… but for centuries since- bended knees and repenting hearts whispering, “Jesus”…and the worthiness of repentance met there! He came to tear down the facades of man’s goodness and bring us out of the darkness. He wants to give us Himself, His endless self. He wants us to dance in the light of His Word and point our babies to Him, not to ourselves.

And this song. Oh my, it makes my spirit rise up and take my rightful place as His: bought, cleansed, loved, warrior, Diana. I want my life to point to the One who so graciously called my name when I was unlovable and knew it; gave me the grace to admit it and then met me there with: Himself, more than enough.

What is the list that you have in your mind that would MAKE you a good mom? The things you compare to other women and either size yourself up as worse or better?

And what would any of that make without Jesus?

I bless you with mothering with eternity in mind, bended knee at the cross, the throne. I bless you with finding your worth in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- with letting other moms see your need of Christ and His goodness. I bless you with decorating your home with the love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, and gentleness of your Savior. Bless you with only comparing yourself to the King’s best for you and your children and trusting that weakness is human and never an evidence that you are a failure but just proof that the Word is right, holy, and true. You are indeed needy and the good news is indeed good news for each and every moment! May you trust in His goodness alone and dance in His freedom, bless His name, and always know your Momma tears have a safe and holy place in His heart. He is with you and promises to be with those who have young.

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11